New Zealand vs Canada Prediction & Match Preview – T20 World Cup 2026, 31st Match

New Zealand opened with two wins but were given a reality check by South Africa, who chased 176 in 17.1 overs to win by seven wickets. They will want to bounce back and secure a Super 8 place. Tim Seifert has 167 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 180 and Finn Allen is striking at 168. Mark Chapman made 48 off 26 against South Africa, Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell add solidity, and James Neesham and Mitchell Santner give depth at the end.

Jacob Duffy and Matt Henry lead the new-ball attack. Lockie Ferguson is missing for personal reasons, and Kyle Jamieson is expected to replace him. Santner’s left-arm spin could matter if the pitch grips.

Canada are bottom of Group D after two comfortable defeats, including a five-wicket loss to the UAE. They are mathematically still in the race but would need big wins over New Zealand and Afghanistan. Navneet Dhaliwal has 98 runs in two innings and Harsh Thaker 83, but no other batter has passed 40. Yuvraj Samra has yet to fire here, though he has 328 runs in 10 recent matches. Saad Bin Zafar has three wickets at 7.42 an over and Ansh Patel three, but Canada have lacked wickets in clusters.

Pitch report

The MA Chidambaram Stadium surface is generally good for batting early on, with true bounce and steady pace, and T20 first-innings totals often reach 160–180 or more. It slows as the game goes on, which helps spinners in the middle overs, and seamers lean on cutters and slower balls later. Dew should be minimal for a morning start.

Weather

A hot and slightly humid late morning is expected in Chennai, with temperatures of around 31–32 °C and mostly clear to hazy skies. No rain is expected, and humidity is moderate to high.

Expected scores

• 1st innings: 160–175
• 2nd innings: 145–160

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